Stinky shoe storage...

[aweewhilelonger]

Where and how do you store your family's shoes? I've got two sweaty boys and a husband that runs = a lot of very smelly trainers / shoes / sandals kicking around. ATM we have a shoe storage unit in the hall which holds a lot of shoes... but they are so whiffy that I can smell them as soon as I come into the house - and woe betide a drawer gets left open! We live in an apartment, so no boot room / utility room: it's just the front door, hall, then various rooms leading off. I know that if I expect the boys to store their shoes in their bedroom, they'll just kick them under the furniture and it'll be really smelly.

So where and how do you store smelly shoes?

And any tips for stopping them being so smelly in the first place!

[AdoraBell]

Either put bicarbonate of soda in all shoes overnight, them not you, or put a pot of bicarbonate under the shoe rack. Vinegar is also a good anti stench product.

[NearlyEaster]

I've bought some of the shoe deodorant from the polish section. It does work, but needs to be used each wear.

I think our problem is mainly damp rugby boots. They're vile. But I think dealing in zip lock bags might make it worse.

[NearlyEaster]

Sealing not dealing!

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

My DS has army boots that reek, particularly after a week of continual wearing at cadet camp. Sounds mad, but a fresh teabag stuck inside each boot and left overnight absorbs the stench really well, you then chuck the teabag and all sorted.

[Giraffeski]

Is that a made up tea bag or dry do you think?

[Almostthere15]

It's a dry tea bag. I have a similar problem.

I have a diffuser on a high shelf (usually something subtle and 'clean' as comoeting smells sometimes make me feel worse) where there are boxes of hats, gloves etc and then I keep talc on the shoe rack. Everyone is supposed to sprinkle it when they put stinky shoes away but they don't everytime. They remember enough though for it to make a difference.

[NearlyEaster]

Ill pop tea bags in now :) Will it work better if they're fruity?🤣

What's the bet they get forgotten and I end up with tea all over the floor?